Skydiver dies trying to break group jump record set in Florida

The woman was visiting from Germany to break a group skydiving record set last year in Florida.

The woman was visiting from Germany to break a group skydiving record set last year in Florida.

Matt Mauney, Orlando Sentinel

A German skydiver died Thursday after a parachute malfunction during a record group skydive attempt in Arizona.

Diana Paris, 46, of Berlin, was declared dead at the scene Thursday in Eloy, Ariz., while attempting to break a world record with a team of 222 skydivers, AZCentral.com reports.

According to World Team media director Gulcin Gilbert, the incident was caused by a main parachute malfunction where the parachute was released too low, not allowing it to open fully.

The team of 222 veteran skydivers hail from 28 countries and came to SkyDive Arizona, a popular U.S. skydive facility, to break the world record for the most people to complete two aerial formations before deploying parachutes.

The previous record was set here in Florida last year, involving 110 skydivers.

The team plans to continue to try and break the record Friday, but out of respect to Paris, they will do it with 221 skydivers.